Algeria's interior ministry today police had fired on anti-government protesters today in Algiers, and said authorities had tried to remain calm despite the rioting and looting.
"We tried to avoid the worst, we did everything to limit damage," the interior ministry's secretary general, Mohamed Guendil announced on television.
The official, who confirmed 100 people had been injured, said no one was wounded by bullets.
This afternoon, at the height of the unrest, an AFP correspondent saw police firing live bullets on protesters in the port area, where some were stealing goods, including vehicles from warehouses.
Other clashes occurred at the May 1 Square, where police had formed a cordon to prevent the hundreds of thousands of mainly young people from marching on the office of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
Gen Guendil confirmed two Algerian journalists died during the protest.
The official said Ms Fadila Nedjma, a reporter with the daily Chourouk el Youmiand Mr Adel Zerrouk, a reporter with the Oran-based newspaper Erraidied of chest trauma.
AFP